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How to Get Rid of Ladybugs

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It’s true that the ladybugs (or ladybirds, if you’re from across the pond) you want to get rid of aren’t actually lady bugs. Well, they are, and they aren’t. Most of the problems you’re seeing with migration of ladybugs indoors aren’t caused by the native species of ladybugs in your area (though there are those). Most ladybug problems and infestations are caused by the multicolored Asian lady beetle, imported by the government to help reduce the populations of tree-killing aphids. A lot of people harbor the misconception that lady bugs and Asian beetles are pests, or that the Asian beetle is a pest and the ladybug is not. The truth is, neither beetle is a pest; they both feed on aphids, which, if you’re a gardener, you know are one of the most common and most harmful garden pests. Ladybugs and Asian beetles eat aphids. In fact, some gardeners actually have bags of ladybugs shipped to them so they can do a controlled release.

Nevertheless you came here to get rid of ladybugs. Though you can’t ever get rid of ladybugs or get rid of Asian beetles, there are some things you can do to control their migration indoors and their populations outdoors.

Asian Lady Beetles vs. Native Ladybugs?

There isn’t much of a difference. True, they’re all a different species of insect, but their life cycles and their predatory natures are much the same. Both ladybugs and Asian lady beetles eat aphids and a multitude of different crop-killing insects and mites. Both the Asian lady beetle and the American ladybug are considered tremendously beneficial insects for agricultural purposes. Several beetles were brought to America because they tended to eat aphids that fed on trees, rather than crops and garden vegetation.

Best Ways to Get Rid of Ladybugs

Screen doors, window screens, and screened in porches should be inspected and properly sealed if you want to get rid of ladybugs.

Perhaps the most common way for ladybugs to get into your home is through a crack in your screen windows or through a screen door that doesn’t properly fit the frame it’s resting in. Weather stripping is probably the cheapest way to seal screen doors, while a torn window screen will probably require a new screen. Luckily for you, screening is cheap if you choose to repair it yourself, and standard-sized window screens are cheap if DIY window repair isn’t your cup of tea. Although given the fact you can replace a window screen with a $4 tool, $5 worth of screen, and a bit of time, it’s silly not to give it an attempt.

Door frames, window frames, and siding is the next thing you’ll want to seal to get rid of ladybugs.

Some ladybugs are just too stubborn to take the easy way indoors, and instead they will try to get in through the siding of your house. Either inspect and seal the siding yourself, making sure to seal siding that surrounds things like air vents and piping, or have a professional siding company come in and do the job for you. Either way, preventing the migration of Asian beetles and ladybugs indoors requires that you bar any entrance from outside into your home. You may even want to consider temporarily blocking your roof vents when the weather starts to get colder.

Landscaping professionals have noted that lining the immediate perimeter of your house with food grade diatomaceous earth will get rid of ladybugs.

Diatomaceous earth is a natural pest deterrent that I’ve been pushing in my articles for quite some time. It comes from fossilized algae that are mined and then eithe refined for medical purposes or bagged for landscaping and pest control needs. The most popular theory regarding diatomite’s effectiveness suggests that it is the microscopically, razor sharp composition of the algae that cut through the exoskeleton of the intruding insect, causing death by dehydration. This strategy of lining the sides of your house with this sediment with diatomaceous earth has been recommended to help control earwig populations, and I would recommend it as a possible way to control ladybug populations as well.

The Ohio State University Extension office suggests using a long-lasting pesticide to help prevent ladybug migration.

They suggest that such a pesticide (usually a pyrethrin or pyrethroid) be applied to outside walls and siding, as well as around eaves, attic vents, roof overhangs, and doors and windows. Pyrethrin is one of the most commonly used insectides on the market today, and the variants of it (called pyrethroids) are abundant as well. Usually this is mixed with a carrier substrate which acts as a light adhesive, binding the pyrethrin to the surface it is sprayed upon. Ladybugs that come into contact with the substance die shortly afterwards.

The Ohio State University Extension office also offers a quick and effective way to control ladybug populations indoors as well.

I found this trick to be particularly clever. What you do is take the hose to your vacuum and stick a nylon down it, and sealing the nylon to the vacuum hose with a rubber band. What you’ve done, essentially, is to create a filter on the end of your vacuum hose. Then all you do is go around the house on a particularly “fruitful” day for ladybug migration and vacuum them up. They get trapped in the nylon, which is then removed, tied, and throw in the garbage–or you can empty the nylon somewhere far away from your home. This is probably the most effective and least ecologically destructive way to get rid of ladybugs.

Since all of the hype surrounding the spike in the populations of asian beetles (multicolored asian lady bugs) started, a lot of companies have popped up claiming that they have the perfect ladybug control. I can’t advise you to purchase any of these products because I’ve never used them. Ladybug control in the spring and fall is a lot like boxelder bug control; there is no certain poison designed specifically to kill either pest. Some pest control professionals recommend using ladybug traps in what is called a “push and pull” strategy. Essentially, a toxic chemical is used to push the ladybugs out of the places where they’re hiding and a trap filled with ladybug attractants (usually sold with the ladybug trap) are then used to remove the ladybug. I assume that this strategy would work from a logical stand point, but again, I’ve never tried it. Though perhaps I’ll purchase a trap for use this spring. Until then, if you want to try some of the ladybug control devices offered, please let me know how they work. I may use your testimonials in a subsequent update of how to get rid of ladybugs.

Best Natural Ladybug Control Methods

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth.

As I mention in the main text of how to get rid of ladybugs, diatomaceous earth is a perfectly natural substitute for pyrethrins, particularly those that are dusted into crevices or sprayed on the ground to control ladybug populations. If ladybugs really aren’t your cup of tea, you might want to consider using diatomaceous earth in more of your landscaping projects.You can order bags of it at Amazon.

Camphor & Menthol are apparently very good ladybug repellents.

According to a study cited by OSU, ladybugs and asian beetles are extremely senstive to camphor and menthol vapors. This is good news for those of us with massive infestations; misting those areas where ladybugs are thought to be overwintering may drive them out of their hiding areas where they can be captured.

Soap & Water Traps

Since ladybugs tend to be driven toward light when they come out of their hiding places in our homes, instead of letting them sit by the window and fly away when it gets dark, why not put a bowl of water with a dab of soap next to lamps and windows? The drop of soap kills water tension (which bugs rely on to escape when they come into contact with water) and when bugs come into contact with the solution they drown rather than float. It’s worth a shot, right?

Boric Acid.

Otherwise known as Borax, boric acid has been used as a natural pesticide for quite some time and its application is similar to that of pyrethrins and/or pyrethroids. It is dusted into hard to reach places, or areas where ladybugs and other pests like cockroaches are thought to be hiding. Contact with the substance is necessary in order to kill the invading ladybug, so apply this powder where ever you’re certain they will tread on it. You can get Boric Acid powder from Amazon.